***This post is sponsored by Visit Camarillo. All thoughts and opinions are my own.***

Camarillo is such a cute city, nestled in the central coast of California. It’s just 15 minutes from the beaches, super family friendly, has so many things to do. With the assistance of Visit Camarillo, I’m going to make it easy on you. I’m breaking it all down with the “Top things to do in Camarillo.” If you read to the end, I’ll even give you our exact itinerary!

How to get around in Camarillo

We can’t get started with what to do without talking about how to get around. The top things to do in Camarillo are all pretty close to each other. We drove our own car, but if you don’t want to, everything is close enough so it’d be a reasonably priced ride share ride. Old Town Camarillo also has a trolley you can take.

What to do in Camarillo

Now for the good stuff. The Top things to do in Camarillo!

Camarillo Premium Outlets

This is a great first stop because the Camarillo Travel Bureau kiosk is located here. You can get more information for places you want to visit, or ask for recommendations, etc. And, If you’re a little cheap on the wallet, then this is for you! There’s a great mix of brand name stores and luxury brand stores too. If you’re starving, there’s a great selection of restaurants as well.

Explore Old Town Camarillo

Old Town Camarillo is a small strip, and totally walkable. There’s lots of restaurants and antique stores. You can even take the trolley up and down the strip. When we went, there was a car show going on at the school.

The Commemorative Air Force WWII Aviation Museum (CAF So Cal)

The CAF is one of the top in the country. We went on a guided tour and learned so much. The kids had a lot of fun learning about the history of the combat aircrafts that were used in World War II. They got to climb in and out planes and helicopters, get up close to the planes, and they loved watching the airplanes take off around us. 

McGrath Family Farm

The kids loved visiting the McGrath Family Farm. It deserves a spot on the Top things to do in Camarillo because our tour guide, Mike, with Baby Root Farm, was AWESOME! McGrath Family Farm houses a bunch of other small farms, and even Driscoll’s (our favorite strawberry people). We learned all about the regenerative farming process and got to pick and try some fruits and veggies along the way. They offer free farm education days, pumpkin maze in the fall, and u-pick.

Point Mugu State Park & Beach

Although this is not in Camarillo itself, it’s still only about a 15 minute drive to get to. This is where you’ll find the famous Mugu rock in movies and tv shows like Iron Man and Lucifer. When you’re at a Southern California Beach, you have to remember that there’s usually a heavy marine layer in the morning and late afternoon. The best time to go would be Afternoon time. The sand is also really course, so some good water shoes or flip flops would be a must. 

Other things to do in Camarillo

Depending on when you go, there’s lots of events that are put on as well. Since we were only in Camarillo for the weekend, we couldn’t get everything in. Here are some other activities to check out:

The Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology – they were closed due to COVID, but they teach about bird conservation

Camarillo Ranch – 19th Century Ranch tour & learn how Camarillo got it’s name

Channel Islands National Park

Island Packers Cruises – to get to the Channel Islands

Orbic Helicopters – Scenic Views

Hiking Trails –  Bridlewood Trail & Hill Canyon Trail

Where to eat in Camarillo

Waypoint Cafe

(breakfast, lunch, or dinner – American & Mexican)

I can definitely see why this was a huge recommendation from everyone. There’s a line that goes around the corner and it is definitely worth the wait. This is at the airport, so you get to watch airplanes take off and land while you eat. It was a huge hit with the kids, and Pilots are known for flying in just to grab a burger, so they call it the thousand dollar burger.The kids split the kids pancakes, Tyler had the Carnitas Classic Omelet, and I had the Dave’s Famous Chicken and Biscuits.

Rolling Pin Donuts

(breakfast or dessert – Pastries)

This place is no joke! They’re open 24hrs, but if you’re going on a weekend, then they’re open 12am-12pm, then 4pm-12am. If you go on a weekend, then I suggest going when they open, or as early as possible. We got there around 10am and there was barely anything left, but what we got were delicious. The kids split a Cinnamon Roll Donut, and Tyler and I each had a Jalapeño, Ham, and Cheese Croissant. Tyler is still trying to find a place that rivals that croissant. 

Pinks Hot Dogs

(lunch – American)

Were were hosted by Pinks Hot Dogs, which is a huge Hollywood staple. The original is located  in Hollywood, so it was nice to get some Hollywood without the Traffic. Pink’s is located at the Camarillo Premium Outlets, making it a great stop after some shopping. There’s so many different toppings to choose from, but I stuck with a good ole Bacon Chili Cheese Dog. Tyler got the Polish Pastrami Dog; Carter got Lord of the Onions, which are onion rings and BBQ sauce on the hot dog; and Kelsey got a plain cheeseburger.

Bandits Bar & Grill

(Lunch or Dinner – BBQ)

Every time we strolled down Old Town, we kept smelling BBQ. We weren’t planning on going, but we just got drawn in. It’s a really cool restaurant will western decor, and there’s a bar or saloon that’s connected. Carter got the kid’s ribs, Kelsey got sliders, and Tyler and I split a rack of ribs. We didn’t get to stay too long because we made the mistake of letting the kids have this huge ice cream cone beforehand. Needless to say, it ended up all over the table. We did our walk of shame and took our food to-go.

Sushi Planet

(Lunch or Dinner – Japanese)

Sushi is a must for us. Kelsey is obsessed with California rolls and even has sushi print pants that our neighbor gave her. Our contact at Visit Camarillo recommended Sushi Planet, so no questions asked. We just went. Carter had the Teriyaki Chicken Bento Box, and Kelsey ate the California rolls that came with it. Tyler and I had our usual Spicy Tuna roll, and a special roll. It was so GOOD! The sashimi was like butter!

Mister Softee

(dessert – Ice cream)

This is another popular one in Camarillo. They have soft serve ice cream that you can get dipped in all sorts of toppings. We all got vanilla cones, but Carter had his dipped in Chocolate, Kelsey had hers dipped in sprinkles, and I had mine dipped in chocolate cookie crumbs. 

Rori’s Artisanal Creamery

(Dessert – Ice cream)

This is located inside the Mark, which is a new food hall in Old Town. I’ve been to the original in Montecito, so I thought it’d be fun for my kids to try it too. They have some fun and intense flavors, so if you’re fancy like that, definitely give it a try. Remember our walk of shame at Bandit’s? Well this was the culprit! Not because it was bad, but because we didn’t space out the timing enough. 

Cafe Ficelle

(coffee & pastries)

I’m a sucker for a fancy latte when we’re on vacation. The cafe is located at the Mark, and is super cute. Everything looked so good but I didn’t end up getting anything because Kelsey had to go to the potty, there were tantrums, and I was just over it. So here are some pictures….

Others places to eat in Camarillo

My eyes are bigger than my stomach, but I made sure we didn’t overdo it this time. Here’s a list of other restaurants we had on our list:

The Mark Food Hall – There’s a few options to choose from inside

Topper’s Pizza – It’s a Ventura County thing

BLVD BRGR or Burger Barn – Beef has not been our friend lately so we skipped this

Harbor Mart – I love sandwiches from Liquor Stores or Marts. Don’t knock it ’til you rock it.

Kay’s Coffee Shop or Simone’s Coffee – Cute coffee shop

Where to stay

Fairfield Inn & Suites Camarillo

We were hosted by the Fairfield Inn & Suites Camarillo, and I was surprised by how modern and upgraded it looked! Everyone was friendly, and we didn’t have any issues getting anything extra that we needed. There’s free breakfast, a gym, pool & spa, and a little business center. We definitely made sure we had downtime to spend at the hotel, and go swimming as well.

Our exact Itinerary

That rounds out my Top things to do in Camarillo. As promised, here is our exact itinerary.

Have you ever been or do you plan on going? Make sure to take me in your IG posts (@spousesproutsme) so I can follow along on your adventures, and be sure to check out our other travel guides.